Issue 93, Volume 75 by The Cougar

t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa pe r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4

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Toyota gets one more roasting for the week

Cougars survive emotional battle with SMU SPORTS »

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Issue 93, Volume 75

UH coach falls ill, treated

thedailycougar.com

SFAC meetings continue By Patricia Estrada THE DAILY COUGAR

Cougar News Services UH women’s basketball head coach Joe Curl was taken to a Dallas hospital Saturday evening with chest pains. Curl, who is in his 12th season at UH, missed Sunday’s 73-67 win over SMU. Fourth-year assistant Wade Scott led the team with help from fellow assistant Tari Cummings and Chad Rickett. According to a press release issued by the UH athletic department, Curl “is in stable condition and is expected to be released from doctors’ observation and return to Houston” by today. Curl missed the 2007-2008 season after suffering from a heat

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DAILY COUGAR FILE PHOTO

Women’s basketball head coach Joe Curl was admitted to a hospital Saturday for chest pain. attack. The Cougars are 13-11 overall and 7-4 in Conference USA after Sunday’s win. They’ll next face conference rival Southern Miss at 8 p.m. Thursday in Hattiesburg, Miss. before facing Central Florida at 6 p.m. Saturday in Orlando, Fla. news@thedailycougar.com

Student Publications took center stage during Friday’s Student Fee Advisory Committee meeting, where recommendations were made as to which organizations should receive a one-time allocation for funding. Student Publications asked for a one-time allocation of $100,000 in addition to its regular request of $181,124 in funding during Tuesday’s meeting. “This is a hard thing to do, but our revenue is down,” Student Publications Director Richard Cigler said Tuesday. Vice President of Student Services Elwyn Lee said Friday it was disappointing and a surprise that Student Publications had such a big shortfall. “The budgeting could have been a little bit more prudent,” Lee said. “There should have been some

course adjustments before we got to this point.” Lee said he was not happy to find out about the shortfall in funding during the SFAC meeting. Although the commitee expected the organization would need additional funding, he said it did not expect this much. “I cannot come here and be happy about finding out belatedly about the magnitude of the shortfall,” Lee said. “Flags should have been laid much higher. Adjustments should have been made.” Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Diane Murphy said she was expecting a shortfall of $85,000, but was told Student Publications could get it under $50,000. “They have really fought revenues from their advertising,” Murphy said. “Their advertising dollars have taken a shot in the foot and the nose.” Murphy also said since the budgets are not allowed to have

negatives, SFAC would have to give some money to cover Student Publications’ shortfall. Otherwise, the money would have to come from somewhere else. Lee said Student Publications is important, but that SFAC can’t be “backed up against a wall” by an organization requesting so much money. “It is too much money,” Lee said. “If you were of the mind to give them the one-time request, I would put the trust in my office that I would report back to you about how much is being used and the budget.” “They have a plan, and I’ve read it, but I would actually like to go over there and go dollar by dollar to review the budget. This is a lot of money for a one-time use.” SFAC will meet today to deliberate on all organizations’ request for funding. news@thedailycougar.com

Experts disappointed by Super Bowl ads By Alan Delon THE DAILY COUGAR Super Bowl Sunday brings a lot of excitement. Many people tune in for the game, but several others just watch the commercials. Super Bowl XLIV attracted 106.5 million viewers to CBA, beating last year’s numbers by more than 9 million, according to preliminary Nielsen TV ratings. The advertisements shown during the game have become as popular as the game itself. Many viewers tune in for the expensive commercials to see which company will outdo the other for the most memorable and entertaining commercial. “A 30-second spot during these programs is expensive, between $2.5 and $3 million for Super Bowl XLIV,” said Jacqueline Kacen, a clinical professor in the UH Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship.

With the ratings being out, multiple companies that invested in Super Bowl ads are now celebrating with the champion New Orleans Saints. Kacen said the amount of money companies spend to have an ad during the game is reasonable for the amount of people they will reach. “The $3 million for 30 seconds spent depends on what is the objective of the advertiser,” Kacen said. “One metric that media planners (and) advertisers use is cost per thousand. How much does it cost me, the advertiser, to reach a thousand people? Over a 100 million people viewed the Super Bowl, so take that $3 million cost, divide that by a bunch of people, and your cost per thousand is reasonable.” Executive professor of marketing

TRAVIS HENSLEY THE DAILY COUGAR

Split move

he sculpture entitled “Split Level” by Australian artist Clement Meadmore was moved from the entrance of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management to the side of the building because of construction. It is now located near the Cougar Grounds on the side of the Hilton. The sculpture was created in 1971 and installed at the Hilton in 1974.

see ADS, page 3

University group helps students counsel children By Donnia Nassari THE DAILY COUGAR UH students have taken a new step toward helping the greater Houston community. Cougars for Kids, one of the largest outreach groups at UH, is a volunteer program sponsored by the College of Technology. Technology professor Jerry

Evans began the program two years ago to help kids at local children’s hospitals in the medical center such as Texas Children’s and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Those participating would become mentors to the children by reading, tutoring or playing games with them and trying to make their lives more comfortable during their

stay in the hospital. After seeing a need for elementary children to be mentored, Evans decided to expand the program. Evans said with the help of the Houston Independent School District, half a dozen schools were identified so UH students could help tutor and mentor the children.

Evans said he is looking forward to increasing the outreach to more than seven other school districts this year. Evans said CFK is a vehicle to make it easier for the students to become volunteers. “We do not sign them up and take them by hand, they can handle it. (The) students have to take initiative on their own to go

and volunteer,” he said. Evans said he is trying to lead by example by going out and mentoring to children in need. For students thinking about volunteering and trying to find time, Evans said they need to commit only three hours a week. Evans said he understands that see KIDS, page 3

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Marijuana Myths: 1-2 p.m., Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, Room 1038. These are workshops offered through UH Wellness, a department of Learning and Assessment Services in the Division of Student Affairs. The mission of UH Wellness, a campus-wide education and prevention program, is to promote healthy choices and create a healthier, safer learning environment across all dimensions of wellness, including social, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, physical and emotional wellness. These workshops promote various dimensions of wellness and are offered to support student development, to increase retention and to provide students with skill-building opportunities throughout the semester. For more information, contact Gaylyn Maurer at gmaurer@uh.edu

TUESDAY Official class ring ordering event: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., UC Satellite Lobby. Visit the University Center Bookstore during the Graduation Fair to meet with representatives from Balfour. Students will be able to see graduation rings up close, have their fingers sized, order their rings and ask questions about the program. For more information, contact UHAA at jeubanks@central.uh.edu

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The Black American Struggle: The Past, the Present, and the Future: 4-5:30 p.m., Science and Engineering Complex, Room 100. In honor of Black History Month, the Muslim Students Association will host Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a nationally recognized speaker from New York who will talk about the influence of Islam on the history of African-Americans, particularly during the mid to late 1900s. For more information, visit www.uhmsa.org

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SPORTS | NEWS

The Daily Cougar

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Monday, February 15, 2010

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ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON’S

Lewis leads Cougars’ 3 party Senior guard does early work; Coleman delivers down stretch

5TH ANNUAL STEPS FOR STUDENTS 5K

This Saturday, February 20, 2010 8:30 at the Robertson Stadium Pavilions

By Matt Miller THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars found themselves in an unusual dilemma during the opening moments of Saturday’s matchup with SMU. With Aubrey Coleman unable to figure out the Mustang’s 2-3 zone defense, UH needed someone else to carry the offensive load. Coleman’s on-the-court sidekick, Kelvin Lewis, did just that. Lewis scored a season-high 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting, allowing UH to overcome a below-average performance from Coleman and capture a 66-60 victory at Hofheinz Pavilion. Lewis, who matched his career high with seven 3-pointers, was the focal point of the Cougars’ offense from tip-off. “Today, everybody was really looking for me,” Lewis said. “I was just trying to lull (SMU) to sleep. “I knew (my shot) was going to start to come around.” Coleman, who finished with 16 points on 5-of-16 shooting, missed his first five field-goal attempts and had only two points at halftime. But because Lewis put up 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, UH (13-11, 5-5 Conference USA) held a 31-26 advantage. After slowing Lewis’ production and gaining control of the tempo in the second half, the Mustangs (11-13, 4-6) were able to erase an 11-point deficit. But for the second straight game, the Cougars — including Coleman — delivered in crunch time by making free throws and playing intense defense. Lewis believes UH is simply reaping the results of focusing on areas that plagued it in losses. “Recently, we’ve been stressing

ADS continued from page 1

Steven Koch said the amount spent depends on the company and its objectives for the ads. “For example, Doritos did a really good job. Doritos had three commercials. Those ads were developed by the public, not by Doritos,” Koch said. “The public got to vote on which commercials they wanted to see on the Super Bowl, and the three that we saw are the ones that got in.” The millions of dollars spent per 30 seconds is not the only expense

KIDS continued from page 1

students are busy. Therefore, he and his team came up with the Special Events section, where members of the program can volunteer for a special event rather than going to the hospitals or schools. “There may be a Saturday in a month that there is a breast cancer walk or March of Dimes walk to get involved,” he said. “There is no reason a student cannot volunteer soon after they become a member.”

Visit www.steps4students.org to register or volunteer Please be aware that the race course streets will be shut down from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and that Parking lot 12A near Robertson Stadium will be unavailable during that time. ZUHAIR SIDDIQUI THE DAILY COUGAR

Kelvin Lewis found his stroke from behind the arc early and often, erupting for 29 points — including a career-high seven 3-pointers — in the Cougars’ 66-60 win over SMU on Saturday at Hofheinz Pavilion. the little things like … getting the 5050 ball and hustle plays.” Lewis said. “Those are the differences between winning and losing.” Those little things also include free throws and protecting the ball. The Cougars committed a seasonlow two turnovers and made 18 of 20 attempts from the charity stripe. Despite UH’s success in these areas, it still had to battle hard for the win. Robert Nyakundi made a free throw with 1:50 left in the game to give SMU a 57-56 advantage. Coleman answered by sinking a step-back jumper that gave the Cougars a 58-57 lead with 1:31 remaining. Coleman then committed a lane violation on the other end of the court, giving Papa Dia an extra freethrow attempt. Dia took advantage

of the opportunity, sinking the shot to tie the game at 58 with 1:16 left to play. After Coleman drew a blocking foul and made two free throws on the Cougars’ next possession, UH came up with a huge defensive stop to keep its lead at 60-58. SMU was forced to foul at that point, but Lewis and Zamal Nixon made a combined six free throws in the final 45 seconds to preserve the victory. “Kelvin showed today why he’s such a valuable part of our team,” Penders said. “If he was really on today, I think he would’ve scored 40 or 50.” The Cougars will next face Central Florida at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Orlando, Fla.

the companies have in the Super Bowl. “In marketing, everything is about numbers,” Koch said. “I guarantee all the companies are up all night right now analyzing those numbers.” Although the game was exciting, the commercials disappointed both marketing experts, who expected more from the Super Bowl ads this year. “Very few of the ads that I saw made me feel I should buy that product; it didn’t give me a reason to buy the ad,” Kacen said. “Liking an ad is not the same as buying a brand. There are lots of ads I like,

but will never buy the brand.” Koch said some of the ads lacked creativity because the commercials didn’t really catch people’s attention. “I think the challenge (that) is when you do so well previous years, at some point you can’t continue doing better and better,” Koch said. Web sites such as usatoday.com had an “ad meter” where people could watch the ads they liked and the ones they missed and vote for the best and worst commercial. The three ads that received the most votes were Snickers, Doritos and Bud Light.

The program’s numbers have increased from 30 members when it began in spring 2008 to 2,600. Evans said even though the volunteers receive nothing for this, they would unquestionably get a joy from putting a smile across a child’s face. A new project that is in progress now is the mission to raise money for the earthquake victims in Haiti. The CFK student auxiliary has had about five blood drives this year and recently broke the record of blood donations with more than 70 students who have donated blood. “With every person who donates

blood, that is three people that you can save,” Evans said. Well-known members of the Houston community, including businessman Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale, have also been involved in CFK. Dean of Technology Bill Fitzgibbon has also been extremely supportive of the Cougars for Kids program. The program has expanded to UH-Downtown, UH-Clear Lake and the UH System at Sugar Land. For more information visit www. uh.edu/cougarsforkids.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS &REE 4AX !SSISTANCE IS !VAILABLE If You Are Required to File an Income Tax Return, (Form 1040NR or 1040NR EZ) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)* Volunteers are Available to Assist You! Bayou City Room (Room 202), February 27, 2010, March 20, 2010 University Center, 2nd Floor, March 27, 2010, April 3, 2010 and April 10, 2010 Saturdays Only, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm: Bring the following: Your passport, Immigration Documents such as Forms I-20, or DS-2019; any Forms W-2 and/or 1042-S; Forms 1099, if any; records of all income and expenses. For additional information, please call the International Student and Scholar Services Office at (713)743-5065. *Houston Asset Building Coalition (HABC) is now responsible for all phases of the VITA Program.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION EDITOR Alan Dennis

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THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITORIAL BOARD Ronnie Turner, Editor in Chief Matthew Keever, Managing editor Patricia Estrada, News editor Hiba Adi, News editor Phillipe Craig, Sports editor Robert Higgs, Sports editor Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor Alan Dennis, Opinion editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Metro not shedding light on proposed rail line problems

CHENLONG HE THE DAILY COUGAR

Google social network a Buzz kill Google’s new service, Buzz, has the potential to be the next big thing in social media. Buzz, which was released Tuesday, is a service provided Casey to all Gmail account holders. Goodwin It allows users to share status updates, photos, links and videos, just like Facebook and Twitter. In fact, Buzz lets people import items from their Twitter and Flickr accounts, as well as several other social Web sites. Unlike most other social networking sites, however, Buzz defaults to public posts that anyone can view, not private ones aimed specifically at your friends. Google automatically suggests that each Buzz user separate groups of followers and people to follow, using a networking technique more like Twitter than Facebook. While it is possible to block people from following you after they start, there is no approval process (like Facebook’s “confirm

as friend” option) through which users can vet who gets their personal buzzes (status updates) before they start receiving them. But perhaps the most privacyjeopardizing feature Buzz includes is the ability for users to post location-tagged messages from their cell phones. Since a user’s buzzes are made public unless otherwise marked, anyone who looks at that person’s Google profile or happens to be nearby will be able to easily see what they have to say about a specific location. Anyone who has a Google profile page can display the people they follow and those who follow them on Buzz. Written in the Buzz privacy policy is the disclaimer, “If you are following someone who publicly displays their list of followers on their Google profile, then you will appear on that person’s public list. Likewise, if someone is following you and displays the list of people they follow on their profile, then you will appear on that

public list.” While each user can decide whether to display their followers and who they follow, the policy does not provide any way for a person to avoid having their name shown on others’ lists. In this respect, the right to control one’s privacy is out of individuals’ hands and in the hands of others. Between blogs, Facebook, MySpace and various other social media Web sites, there are few people who do not have some sort of searchable presence online. Buzz simply makes this presence more obvious and easier to find. Before users post their first buzz, Google requires that they set up a publicly searchable profile page. True privacy is becoming more and more a thing of the past; that is by no means a good thing. Casey Goodwin is an engineering freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

SGA GUEST COMMENTARY

Book issue being addressed by SGA This is the first in a series of weekly columns that do not seek to rouse undying support for the Student Government Association, but rather to inform you, the UH student body, of what is happening Reyes inside the University Ramirez and how the SGA is working to make student life easier. With this knowledge, you may be pleased with certain new developments, or you might become angry and choose to seek more answers from your elected student officials. I would first like to address the problems students have been having with textbooks. Textbooks will always be an issue; the problem is figuring out how to use the resources we have to make sure we are getting the best value for our money and time. Of course, one resource at our disposal is the on-campus Barnes & Noble bookstore. We have all faced frustration in dealing

with this entity, be it from high prices, loans, selection or something else. But it is important for students to understand the process of textbook adoptions. The bookstore does not automatically know what books are being used for each class and must rely on professors to turn in their textbook orders so the store will know what books to order. When the bookstore knows what books it needs, it buys back those textbooks from students at half of the sticker price. According to Barnes & Noble, for every 10 percent of faculty members who turn in their book orders, students save roughly $100,000. The textbooks are then sold back to the students at 25 percent savings. This is not to say that blame should be directed toward the faculty, but rather that lower textbook costs require the three main entities involved (students, faculty and the bookstore) to come to an understanding. Faculty should seek to turn in their

textbook orders as soon as they can, the bookstore should try to gather textbook information as soon as possible, and students should seek to be informed of whether their professor has turned in his book order and sell their textbooks back to the bookstore. This semester, 100 percent of textbook orders were submitted to the bookstore by roughly the second week of classes. As great a feat as this is, it does not mean the issue has been resolved; students must implore teachers to reach 100 percent earlier so that the aforementioned benefits can be accessible sooner. Currently, the bookstore is adjusting to the textbook rental process, and more information on that issue will be offered in an upcoming column or at the next biweekly SGA meeting Feb. 24 in the Cougar Den at the University Center. Reyes Ramirez is a political science and creative writing sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

MetroRail is making its way to UH, and if you believe the administration, everyone is happy about it. But what often goes unmentioned are the problems MetroRail will bring to the University. MetroRail is going to attract some unwanted visitors to a campus many students don’t feel is safe enough as it is. The rail will also bring traffic congestion — particularly during construction — and will remove a great deal of parking spots. Students with disabilities will have a hard time moving around campus while construction is underway, especially those living in Cambridge and Cullen Oaks, where one of the lines is expected to go through. In January, Metro officials came to UH to give a presentation explaining some of the things that would happen with the new rail lines. During this presentation, UH faculty, staff and students voiced some of these concerns and were given no response. Student Government Association Vice President Prince Wilson said during an SGA meeting Wednesday that Metro officials have not been responsive to questions. “There are many safety issues, but they are not listening to us,” Wilson said. “Metro officials don’t want to come back (to discuss them).” Wilson said the Texas Medical Center has already filed several lawsuits against Metro. According to a KHOU Channel 11 News report, one of the suits was for potential damage caused by electrical current leaking from the MetroRail line. Why does the University want a company that doesn’t care about its concerns conducting business on its campus? If UH doesn’t make its voice heard, Metro is going to do whatever it wants with no regard to the University community. Having MetroRail run through campus could be a great thing, but only if it is done the right way. Wilson said the SGA, Faculty Senate, Staff Council and UH President Renu Khator are aware of the concerns, and there is a committee in place to discuss these issues with Metro officials. The only problem is that they don’t want to listen. Force them to listen by going to www.gometrorail. org and making your voice heard.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 7435384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Monday, February 15, 2010

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

TRACK AND FIELD

UH gets big road victory

Cougars answer call to improve By John Brannen THE DAILY COUGAR

By Tristan Tippet THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars knew Sunday’s game against SMU was going to be different than their other contests. On Saturday, UH head coach Joe Curl was admitted to a Dallas hospital with chest pains and had to sit out Sunday’s game. The Cougars, with assistant coach Wade Scott filling in, responded with a gritty 73-67 win over the Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Scott said the team responded well without coach Curl being there. “I think it says a lot about the team, that they were able to focus through while coach wasn’t there,” Scott said. “I think the team did a great job of focusing on the job at hand and playing the way you’d expect them to.” At first it looked like the Cougars (13-11, 7-4 Conference USA) were in for a long game, as the Mustangs started on a 24-9 run. The Cougars, however, slowly grinded their way back into the game despite SMU’s attempts to pull away. They finally pulled within 39-35 to end the first half. UH’s momentum carried over to the second half, with Cougars fighting to come back, and the

DAVID SHIH THE DAILY COUGAR

Jasmine Johnson helped the Cougars bounce back from Friday’s deflating loss at Tulsa by notching three of UH’s 12 steals in a 73-67 win at SMU Sunday. Mustangs (16-8, 6-5) fighting to stay ahead. That trend changed, however, with 7:40 left when UH’s Porsche Landry converted a three-point play to give the Cougars a 57-56 lead. The Mustangs regained the lead right after, but Landry dropped in another layup with 6:35 remaining, and the Cougars never trailed again. The Cougars played stellar defense, and made eight of nine free throws down the stretch to close out the Mustangs, who UH lost to at home two weeks ago. Scott said the Cougars made some key plays down the stretch to pull out the win. “I think it was a combination of things,” Scott said. “They missed

some shots that they normally make, we got some good looks, and we ramped up our defense a little bit.” The win was critical because of Friday’s 65-62 loss to Tulsa, which entered the weekend as the worst team in C-USA. The Cougars pulled within 63-62 with 36 seconds left in that contest, but Tulsa’s Kara Vaughn dropped in a layup with five seconds left to seal the win. “In the first half, they put themselves in that hole to begin with,” Scott said. In the second half, they showed some character and some pride, and almost came back and got it.” sports@thedailycougar.com

COLLEGE STATION — In the shadows of Kyle Field, the Cougars track team put forth a gallant effort at McFerrin Athletic Center this weekend. Several Cougars responded strongly to head coach Leroy Burrell’s calls for action. Junior Kalyn Floyd finished second in the women’s 200-meter with a time of 23.49 seconds and Grecia Bolton followed in fourth (23.9). The women’s 4x400-meter relay won its heat in a gutsy performance and went on to finish second with a time of 3:37.6. “The women’s sprint group really showed what they’re capable of,” Burrell said. “Last week I felt like we hadn’t got enough done in the 200 and 4x4 and (Saturday) they got it done against some really tough competition.” “I’m really proud of them. They’re a strong group and they’re starting to really show what they’re made of.” One of the few low points of the meet was freshman Errol Nolan dropping the baton on the first leg of the men’s 4x400-meter relay. Nolan was boxed in, jostling for position and dropped the baton from the contact. “It was (a) total freshman mistake,” Burrell said. “Although he may run like a seasoned veteran,

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he’s still a freshman. So, he’s going to make mistakes from time to time. I’d rather him learn from his mistakes now than make them in a championship situation.” Tyron Carrier and Nolan both finished in the top five for the 200-meter dash. Carrier finished fourth in 21.28 seconds and Nolan was right behind him in 21.32 seconds. The Cougars showed strength in numbers in the triple jump with three top-three finishes. Junior Chris Carter placed second with a jump of 52 feet, 0.4 inches and Lamar Delaney claimed third at 49 feet, 8.45 inches. On the women’s side Nadirah Shakir notched third place with a jump of 39 feet, 6.4 inches. Hurdler Cameron LaCour met coach Burrell’s challenge of breaking 8 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. LaCour finished in 7.96 seconds, earning third place. “I think that you’re going to see him make another big jump at conference,” Burrell said. Burrell hopes people will take note of this weekend’s performance. “I’m really looking forward to what happens with the rankings because I think the women’s team will make a jump in the national rankings,” Burrell said. “We really should, based on our performance this weekend.” sports@thedailycougar.com

CONVENIENT TRUTHS

Canada, IOC lose Games’ spirit before, after crash After months of anticipation, the 2010 Winter Olympics officially got underway Friday night. But for seven athletes from the Republic of Georgia, Alan Dennis the opening ceremonies were a sobering reminder of a fallen teammate whose life ended mere hours before the festivities began. Earlier that day, 21-year-old Nodar Kumaritashvili lined up at the top of the Whistler Sliding Track to make one final practice run on his luge before the start of the games. He never made it to the bottom, crashing coming out of a fast turn and flying off the track into a steel support beam. Kumaritashvili was transported

to a hospital where he died after doctors failed to revive him. “This is a very sad day; the (International Olympic Committee) is in deep mourning,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said at a press conference addressing the incident. “Here you have a young athlete who lost his life in pursuing his passion.” Although most would view the tragedy as something to look into immediately, Rogge apparently had a different take. “This is a time for sorrow; it’s not the time to look for reasons. That will come in due time.” Yes, you just read that right — the president of the IOC told a room full of reporters to not worry about who or what was at fault in the death of an Olympic athlete because the chance to examine the

accident would come “in due time.” Jacques must not have realized getting to the bottom of what went wrong as soon as possible might be a good idea, given the luge competitions started less than 24 hours after his press conference concluded. Howard Bryant of ESPN. com reported Friday night that numerous athletes had expressed uneasiness about the safety of the track before the fatal crash. “A major concern for bobsledders, lugers and skeleton riders beyond their competition has been the formidable reputation of the Whistler track, generally considered the fastest sliding track in the world,” Bryant wrote. “Bobsledder Steven Holcomb, driver of USA I, nicknamed the

course’s 13th curve the ‘50-50’ curve because of the odds of a crash.” Bryant also revealed that the Canadian team had prevented other teams from using the track to practice on, robbing them of any chance to get accustomed to its speed and danger before the Olympics. While there is plenty of blame to go around in this case, from the always-inept IOC to the geniuses responsible for designing the world’s most dangerous sliding track, the Canadians are clearly more to blame for Kumaritashvili’s death than anyone else. The Olympics are indeed a competition, but are more importantly an opportunity to promote sportsmanship and goodwill between nations.

These are such core tenets of the games that Olympic Hymn instructs athletes to “let fraternity and fellowship surround the soul of every nation.” In limiting other teams’ access to the sliding track, the Canadians not only showed what little class they have, but their actions may have directly led to an athlete’s death. It would only be fitting for any of the Canadian bobsled, luge or skeleton teams that win gold to have their medals presented to them by Kumaritashvili’s teammates. I guess when your country’s biggest cultural exports are K.D. Lang and Molson Canadian, winning really is everything. sports@thedailycougar.com

SOFTBALL

Coogs shake off offensive struggles in tournament finale By Phillipe Craig THE DAILY COUGAR After began the Marriott Houston Hobby Classic with a 1-0 win over No. 14 Ohio State on Friday at Cougar Softball Stadium, UH dropped its next three games before downing Sam Houston State 1-0 Sunday evening. Lost in the disappointing 2-3 showing was the standout

performance of freshman pitcher Bailey Watts, who posted a 2-1 record over the weekend, including a three-hit, nine-strikeout complete game against the Ohio State. Head coach Kyla Holas said she wasn’t at all surprised by Watts’ immediate impact. “She’s a kid our players like playing behind, and we’re excited to have her,” Holas said. “I think she’s only going to get better.”

Sunday’s finale against the Bearkats featured a recurring theme for the Cougars — struggles at the plate. Locked in a scoreless game in the top of the sixth inning, catcher Melissa Gregson homered to center field with one out to give UH a 1-0 advantage. UH wasn’t able to add any insurance in the top of the seventh, and Sam Houston mounted an attack in the bottom of the frame.

After retiring the first two batters, Watts walked Hailey Wiginton on a full count to bring the potential winning run to the plate. Wiginton advanced to second on Watts’ wild pitch. Amy Brown followed with a hard-hit line drive to left field, but Katie Beth Sherman made her third spectacular leaping catch of the weekend to preserve the win. Despite the victory, the offense

remains a concern. “We were by far the worst offensive team this weekend, and that can’t happen,” Holas said. “Hitting is a mentality, and right now we need a lot of work on our mentality. We need to make sure we make good choices because we can’t win many ball games with only one run.” sports@thedailycougar.com

â&#x2013;

Monday, February 15, 2010

LIFE & ARTS

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Someone call a Doctor J

Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death leaves gap in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

By Joshua Malone THE DAILY COUGAR Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus never stood a chance of realizing its potential. Heath Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s untimely death in the middle of filming led to Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell and writer/director Terry Gilliam doing their best to salvage the project. But despite their efforts, Imaginarium is a largely confused, incoherent film and fails to give Ledger the memorable send-off that he deserved. Curiously, the film is remarkably reminiscent of Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career before The Dark Knight â&#x20AC;&#x201D; experimental, off the wall and unconcerned with commercial success. The film is essentially a prolonged fever dream designed to explore the inner recesses of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination, and these fantasy sequences are both colorful and nonsensical. Most of what happens on screen makes little sense, but considering director Gilliamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resume (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Twelve Monkeys), this confusion was probably intentional. The film tells the story of a traveling theatre troupe led by Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), whose magical mirror allows one to explore a dream world made of his innermost desires. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not long before the troupe rescues Tony (Ledger) from a failed suicide, and

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despite his checkered past, he joins of the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly Parnassusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sideshow. Along the unfinished. Ledger had yet to way, the group tackles betrayal, finish any of his scenes inside the love triangles and a showdown mirrorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantasy world before his with the devil (musician Tom death, so Depp, Law and Farrell Waits) in a battle to save the soul of all attempt to fill his shoes with Parnassusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; daughter. mostly disorganized results. As one could gather, the film Each of the actors awkwardly has no grounding in reality and attempts to imitate Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looking for one. By itself, and mannerisms, but none are this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an awful thing; plenty able to escape Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shadow. of Gilliamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own films, such as If anything, they serve as a tragic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, reminder of what could have been. successfully pull off the weird and Despite its faults, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s irrational while still retaining a not unreasonable to think decent, engaging story underneath. Imaginarium could find its cult Where Imaginarium loses its following. Waits plays a capable way, however, is when Gilliam villain, and reality show staple allows his fantasies to run wild Verne Troyer makes his own over his already triumphant threadbare return to film as Most of what happens plot. The film is Parnassusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sidekick. on screen makes little visually striking Despite the visuals but borders on being plotless and sense, but considering sensory overload; pointless, they are director Gilliamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resume usually beautiful. while it may look like a surrealist Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s likely that ... this confusion was painting come The Imaginarium probably intentional. to life, neither of Doctor Parnassus the audience will always carry nor Gilliam will likely recall its the distinction of being Ledgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narrative purpose 20 minutes later. final movie and little else. The story Although he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appear behind the film is arguably more until nearly the 30-minute mark, interesting than anything offered Ledger is predictably captivating by the film itself, and despite in his limited role. But unlike his its faults, getting to see Ledger recent and most well-known role in one last role is still worth the in The Dark Knight, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly investment. impossible to become lost in this If only it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like such a particular performance and not missed opportunity. remain conscious of his death. For reasons obviously out arts@thedailycougar.com

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COMICS & MORE

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COUGAR COMICS

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At the Hot Dog Stand by Mishele Lamshing

TODAY’S SUDOKU How to play Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

1 Sunblock ingredient 5 Poker stakes 10 Liniment 14 Crossed out 15 Air-conditions 16 “Only Time” singer 17 Mountain pass info 18 Choir director’s need (2 wds.) 20 Overhaul 22 — Scala 23 Ms. Zellweger 24 Wild shrub 26 Lubricate 27 Tightrope walker 30 Dress features 34 Safari worker 35 Veer off-course 36 Right off the — 37 Nitpicks 38 Bolshoi rival 40 Tree trunk 41 NASA counterpart 42 Kill a bill 43 Tell 45 Begin again 47 Piano performance 48 “Kidnapped” monogram 49 Petty officer 50 Farewell 53 Over there 54 Love madly 58 Some models 61 Used sparingly 62 Ambler or Clapton 63 Bandleader Count — 64 Smelting waste 65 Belg. neighbor 66 Scornful smile 67 Fish story

DOWN 1 Jury member 2 Wheel part 3 Red meat 4 Counselors 5 Not hesitate 6 Nutty confection 7 Quinine water

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35 39 43

54 60

67 ©

8 He directed Marlon 9 FICA number 10 Happened to 11 Prolific auth. 12 Old harp 13 Invent 19 Complain 21 Toothpaste buy 25 Felt pens 26 Artists’ lifeworks 27 Dogpatch resident 28 Desist 29 Sitar tunes 30 Arafat’s org. 31 “Das Boot” craft (hyph.) 32 Island nation 33 Car metal 35 B’way posting 39 Addams Family cousin 40 Least able to see

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42 44 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 59 60

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Previous puzzle solved S L A G

T O G A

E P C O T

T E R R E

R P M S

E L O I

E M I L

P B E T A A V A N B A T A X Y S M I F F H A NO L A GO A D I DWE L ON S I S T E D T H EM J O I N E D UM S T R N A E R I GN RO B

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TODAY’S CROSSWORD ACROSS

Robbie & Bobby by Jason Poland

Monday, February 15, 2010

S K I L

H A S P

E R R O R

D E E M S

D O N A

A K I N

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Monday, February 15, 2010

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